


Kiss the sky

by Pepper_m3at



Series: Kiss The Sky [1]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Cop&Detective AU, Drug Use, Forensic pathologist Shownu, Honeypup, Hyperactive detective and really cold cop, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Investigations, JooHyuk, Jooheon is just tired but he tries his best, M/M, Minhyuk is on the spectrum, Murder, Mystery, Past Abuse, Smut, Wonho is a bodyguard, buddy motive, but also fluff, can't you tell, chapter titles are going to be song titles, kihyuk, maybe? maybe smut, okay i lied showho is the subship here, slight mention of Showho, slowburn, sorry not sorry im a softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-14 07:23:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20596934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pepper_m3at/pseuds/Pepper_m3at
Summary: "Mr. Lee, this is a crime scene."He felt tears running down his cheeks, as he whined loudly, with pained voice. The black haired man opened his eyes wider."Hey, Minhyuk. Come on, get your shit together…"But the other man wouldn't stop shaking and crying, as he leaned over the floor, holding his stomach. He felt that sudden emptiness in his chest, his head full of bad thoughts. Minhyuk lied down on the ground, curling into a fetal position.♫Because I'm drenched in tearsThat blatant fault of mine can't be seen now♫Minhyuk getting overwhelmed by the world and Jooheon trying to understand anything in this senseless babbling. Two most talented members of Seoul Police Unit's crew useless when spotted around each other. And unfortunate series of mysterious suicides.





	1. Diphylleia Grayi

**Author's Note:**

> "At that place, I get to know  
How I’m slowly changing every day  
In the far days ahead, just smile for me"  
~ At Gwanghwamun" by Kyuhyun

Minhyuk was usually very fond of afternoons. It was the time, when he took a break and casually wandered off the police station to grab some fresh coffee from the cafe nearby, sit down on the curb and enjoy the birds chirping and car engines growling, when such vehicle passed by him. And sometimes when people honked at him, because apparently - he was stretching his legs too far. This time was no different - with his head high up in the clouds and his mind shifting into various directions, he was sitting on the edge of the pavement and trying to process all the things that happened today. And also considering, what should he buy for dinner today. Or maybe… _ You have even better idea. He’s going to love it. _Minhyuk smiled to himself, feeling that weird twitch of excitement in his guts. Just when he finishes his work, he’s going to surprise his fiancé in the best way possible - so he wouldn’t have to cook the dinner this time, so he could get that well deserved rest.

Sipping on those few drops of frappuccino left on the bottom of the cup, he got up and slowly, with his mind at peace, walked into the commissariat his face crowned by a beautiful and wide smile. He looked at his phone - _ 2:38PM. _ Two more hours left and he’s finally free for that day, so he can finally enjoy his beloved one’s company. Minhyuk couldn’t be more thrilled - in fact, everyday he felt the same. Even though he followed the same routine, the exact same patterns almost everyday - thinking about spending an evening with the person he loved filled him with joy. _ You’re the luckiest man alive. _He nodded to his coworkers who smiled back at him immediately when they saw him. They used to say that it was his impact, because - even though pretty chaotic and emotional - Minhyuk was never caught not smiling. Through the good and the bad - he carried on with that soft mush, seeing good in everything and everyone. Some may say that it’s not the greatest attitude for a detective - but he was too consumed by his own optimism and his job. He sure had enemies and rivals - but what would be life without that light dose of adrenaline? If everybody liked him, then he would have a reason to worry. For now - it was all good - perfectly balanced. 

Minhyuk sat by the desk, just to be approached by his supervisor, whose face indicated trouble. And troubled supervisor’s countenance meant only one thing - there’s a new case. And, based on the nervous tapping of his finger on Minhyuk’s desk - it was urgent.

“Good afternoon, officer Kang! So, where are we going now? And what’s the case?” blonde haired man asked, his head tilting in one direction, and the prominent smile not leaving his face. The officer, whose eyes ran somewhere else, not to keep eye contact with the detective, sighed heavily. “Oh, wait, no! Don’t tell me. Let me guess! Robbery? No, then… Armed robbery? No? So it must be a murder!”

“It is a murder…” the officer looked at Minhyuk with sad sparkles in his eyes. Minhyuk crooked his head and took a deep breath. Murders were usually the hardest cases to solve - but he liked challenges. “Are you ready to go? We have to arrive as quickly as possible. I’ll be waiting by the car.” the elder man sent Minhyuk that tired gaze with hints of apology, that the detective couldn’t understand. He blinked a few times and then just left, shaking his head.

Minhyuk had to throw the cup into the bin, put his jean jacket with the shield pinned on it. He looked in the mirror and sighed quietly - it looked like he would have to work for a few more hours, when a homicide occurred, he had to thoughtfully finish every procedure that the case opening required. Then, checking if he hadn’t left anything necessary on the desk, he joined officer Kang by the car. The older man stared at him, his hands shaking a little bit - because in fact - he sympathized with that young man at that moment. It was going to be a very hard and memorable afternoon. He didn’t know yet.

The cruiser was winding through the streets and turnings of Seoul steadily - the victim wouldn’t just run somewhere, so they had no reason to hurry. Besides, some of the crew members were already there, securing evidence and what not. Minhyuk laid his head against the window, staring at the buildings that looked like they were just a scenery slapped on a green screen. Maybe that was the effect of consuming too much caffeine? He didn’t know. Slow blinking, he started gradually recognising the area they were heading too. Familiar shops, the library… Small motel next to the gas station… He squinted his eyes. 

“Officer Kang?” he asked quietly, his stomach clutching uncontrollably. The older man didn’t look away from the road, but he asked right away:

“Yes, Minhyuk-ssi?” the man’s voice was very warm - as always. Minhyuk couldn’t think of the time, when officer Jinhwan Kang was impolite, or aggressive towards him. Moreover, he always felt, like that elderly man, whose grey hair was slicked back, to hide his bald spots - was something more than just an associate. He was rather the nice uncle - that watches you get better and better in your pursuit, and is proud every time you succeed. Sometimes treats you with old, cheap cigarettes and gives you wise talks. _ Stay focused. _

“What’s our destination?” the blonde man asked quietly, swallowing with somewhat of a difficulty. Officer Kang sighed quietly and pursed his lips. “I know this region. I live here.”

“I know, Minhyuk-ssi.” the man stopped his car in front of the red building. But he didn’t answer. _ You asked him a question and he just dodged it. _Minhyuk stared at his hands for a while, his heart beating fast. Was this excitement, or fear? And if the second one - what was he afraid of exactly? 

“Oh, so you’re saying that I am exempted from work today? This early?” the blonde man said loudly, his smile getting slightly wider. The officer looked at him a little bit shocked, his eyes opening wider. “Jinhwan-hyung, I am so grateful!” he laughed happily and having unstrapped himself, he hugged the officer. “Thank you for telling me this, I couldn’t be more happy.”

“No, it’s not.. I haven’t said anything, Minhyuk-ssi…”

“Oh, I am going to spend this time the best I possibly can. Thank you so much.” Minhyuk cut in immediately, as he opened the door and walked out, leaving his small suitcase inside. Jinhwan Kang grew pale, when Minhyuk just casually entered the code to the apartments, and started walking upstairs. Not noticing police cars, policemen at the door, that were surprised by his behaviour.

Walking into the flat Minhyuk smiled brightly, seeing petite figure sitting by the table, with its head down. _ He must’ve fallen asleep while reading, again. He’s so tired these days. _ He walked up to his fiancé, leaving a soft peck on the crown on his haid. Kihyun smelled like lilac - he knew that it was Minhyuk’s favourite smell, so he bought the shampoo - just for him to feel it. His light brown hair were messily flopping over his forehead, covering his beautiful eyes. His round glasses slid down his nose, crooking funnily - which made him look a little bit more adorable than usual. He was wearing that beautiful yellow shirt, that Minhyuk got him for their second anniversary - even though he despised the color of it. Minhyuk smiled when he saw the coffee spilled over the newspaper - _ he’s such a dweeb. That’s what you love him for. _

Minhyuk walked up to the counter, just to fill the kettle with water and boil it up. With the prettiest smile he could put on his face, he was preparing tea for Kihyun - so he would have a nice surprise when he wakes up. _ And then you’ll take him to the best restaurant in Seoul. He deserves it. _ Minhyuk couldn’t stop humming “At Gwanghwamun” - it was their favourite song. He remembered when Kihyun faced one of his sleepless nights - Minhyuk was always there to sing him to sleep. His eyes closed at that memory, so vivid as if it happened just a moment ago. He could clearly see it in his head, and it made his cheeks turn slightly pinkish. _ It feels so great. Maybe today you can sing for him too? _He smiled brightly and then, after carefully wiping the coffee from the table with a piece of cloth from the sink, he approached Kihyun from behind, just to hug him, giggling happily.

“It’s time to wake up sleepyhead!” he said cheerfully, snuggling his nose into the crook of Kihyun’s neck. The smell of lilac was even more intense at that moment, it overwhelmed him - approaching him from every direction possible. It soothed his senses, but he didn’t stop cuddling his man - he just couldn’t resist. His soft skin, resembling of silk, his delicate hair and the airy laugh… That wasn’t there yet, but Kihyun needed to wake up first, right? _ He must be so tired… _“Sweetheart, I made you tea. Don’t you want to drink? It’s your favourite, with the hint of honey..!” he exclaimed happily, lifting Kihyun up in his long arms. 

“Mr. Lee, this is a crime scene.” this sharp voice cut through his happiness, making it pop like a soap bubble. He slow blinked a few times, just to realize that both his hands and his clothes are dripping with blood. _ It’s not right, where are you? _ He opened his mouth, noticing that the smell of lilac was strongly disturbed by the metallic scent of blood. Blood, that also found its place on both his lips and his tongue. He looked at Kihyun’s limp body, still in his arms and started shaking uncontrollably. _ No, no. No. Please. _

“Mr. Lee, you need to back away and let us…” that sharped voice asked again but its owner got silenced by officer Kang. _ No, this is not real. _

“Minhyuk-ssi, we have to carry on with the investigation. _ No. _

_ No, no. You don’t agree. _

“Kihyunnie? Wake up, the tea is going to get cold.” blonde haired man said, his voice breaking. He swallowed with difficulty, feeling how cold and heavy Kihyun’s body is. _ No. _ He put his fiancé down and smiled hysterically, as he proceeded to unbutton his shirt, covered in blood. The gaping wound under the other man’s jaw didn’t get unnoticed, but blonde haired detective shook his head in paranoidal denial. “Kihyunnie. Come on, please. It’s not the time for jokes. The tea…” he whimpered, as he started affrightedly shaking the body by the collar of Kihyun’s yellow shirt. _ Please. _

“What should we do with him…?” black haired policeman asked, looking at officer Kangn and waiting for further instruction. The older man only closed his tired eyes, shaking his head. He wasn’t surprised by the situation - he knew it was going to happen - but bringing Minhyuk there was an order. He couldn’t discuss it. Maybe it was better for the detective - at least the information came to him first handedly. 

Exhaling sharply, Minhyuk curled next to the dead body, embracing it and pressing the loose, cold head to his chest, while sobbing uncontrollably. It was going to be alright. In a second or two he was going to wake up, by the love of his life. Shower him with love and affection, tell him about that awful nightmare he had. Be assured, that it was just a bad dream, and nothing like that was going to happen. And then, he was going to sing Kyuhyun’s “At Gwanghwamun” - for the sake of old times. Just to make sure, that Kihyun would fall asleep smiling. _ You love that wide pearly smile. It melts your heart… You’re going to see him smile again. _

He didn’t even notice when heavy, hot tears marked wet, shiny trails on his cheeks, as he was repeating his mantra, choking on the tears, on the verge of throwing up:

“Kihyun, I’m scared. There’s police in here. What happened? Kihyun, please, tell them to go. Kihyunnie… Ki. Please, I want them to leave us alone. I am scared Kihyunnie. Please don’t ignore me. Please."


	2. Hyssop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jooheon parted his lips slightly, touching the stains. They were still a little bit moisty, leaving reddish imprints on his fingertips. “I don’t know what it is.”  
Scared almond eyes. He was covering his face. Jooheon’s face lost a few of its colours, as he turned his head to the window and pursed his lips. It all kind of made sense now, but at the same time it was obscurely unreal and baseless. But he remembered that one thing vividly. The bus stop man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, honestly, it felt great to actually publish the first chapter and receive some feedback in form of Kudos. I'm really grateful for that. It's the first story I plan on publishing online fully, so opinion and critique means really a lot to me.  
This chapter was written under impression of my medication and cold (the ugly ass weather also).  
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, although its pace is slow, and it's more of an exposition.

Two in the head, one in the heart. Fourth one missed. With his headset on and that wild ablaze sparkle in his eyes, a black haired man was holding his beloved Glock 26 in front of him, the corner of his lips raising a little bit.  _ Not bad, but not good either.  _ Letting out a quiet sigh of resignation, he put the weapon away and slid the headphones down on his neck. The first day in Mapo Station felt so heavy and yet he didn’t exactly know why. Maybe it was just the weather - but Jooheon loved everything about rain, so that wouldn’t make much sense. Or maybe he just missed Daegu?  _ That’s probably it.  _ Having changed, he looked in the mirror to see his own, well rested face with sharp eyes, rather small nose, delicately pointing down and fair plump lips, shaped into a line of boredom.  _ Boredom? That’s not the right word. You’d rather call it: lack of excitement. Routine. Routine is the worst murderer.  _ He quickly put his jacket on, after brushing his hair back nonchalantly. 

It almost seemed as if he was ungrateful for that great opportunity he got - after those five years of intense training and a lot of sleepless nights and aching strained muscles he managed to move to Seoul, to start his career as an Assistant Inspector in charge of criminal investigations. And at first it might have sounded impressive - but Lee Jooheon learned that not everything was black and white. And that corruption occurs everywhere - even in the places that are supposed to avert it. But he kept that to himself, alas, he is his own person. He makes all of the decisions.

Walking out from the training room, he nodded politely to officer Kang, who just finished his paperwork. Elderly man looked at Jooheon and a delicate smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

“Well well, a new face? How did you like our shooting range, mister…” He raised his eyebrow, as his converser’s face brightened up slightly.  _ He seems alright.  _ The black haired man nodded politely again:

“Lee Jooheon, sir.” He said that without hesitation and when the older man reached out with his arm, Jooheon shook hands with him, supporting his hand with the other one, bowing slightly. Officer’s Kang’s face seemed impressed, as the elder man smiled even more. “And yes, it’s… Pretty impressive.” He added, smiling with his eyes.

“Jooheon-ssi. It’s a relief to see a new, young face around.” He exclaimed, while thoroughly eyeing the black haired man up. “And a talented one, I suppose. Since you’re there - maybe I should tell you about some nice spots around this place. There’s a coffee shop, right there.” He pointed with his finger through the window. “There’s a coffee dispenser here, but I wouldn’t recommend drinking anything that is named “coffee” from it. In a few turnings you have a pub, it’s rather cheap. And on the other side of the street is a shopping mall, if you’re interested in walking around. This place might seem busy, but nobody will yell at you if you sneak out one time or two. We’re all people in here, and we understand.”

“Thank you, officer, I’ll definitely check them out. But do they brew tea in that coffee shop?” Jooheon rested his elbow on the counter while looking at the elder man with curiosity.

“I think they do, why?”

“Oh, nothing, I just really despise coffee. Besides, it’s pretty unhealthy.” The black haired man nodded and brushed his hair back.  _ Who would even drink it intentionally? It’s literally poisoning your body. _

“Ah, I understand. Well, when you are an old fart like some of us here, you stop really caring what’s healthy and what’s not.” Officer Kang shook his head while taking a quick glance on the woman sitting in the reception centre with a half lit cigarette in her mouth. “Nonetheless, I am glad that you care about your health and body, it’s a good approach,” he chuckled while furrowing his thick black eyebrows, and adding: “You’ll be usable for longer.”

Jooheon nodded politely and looked around. The facility looked modern and stable - cold light of the fluorescent tubes was throwing a milky coat on all of his surroundings, making them seem like just a lucid dream. But it was the smell of the cigarette that brought him back to reality.  _ This has to be a joke…  _ Having farewelled officer Kang, who got back to his duties, Jooheon decided to take a dive into the corridors and various rooms - he was a part of the personel. And since it was his first - as they called it - “orientation” day, he didn’t have many things to do. Upon further investigation, he noticed that even though everything in here seems freshly bought - it’s already covered in the scars of usage. The chairs, desks. Only the computers seemed untouched - like a sanctity of some sorts.  _ Typical.  _ One desk in particular captured his interest - as it was most organised, and yet at the same time - the messiest of them all. While all of the books and receipts were nicely unscrambled, they were sorted rather by their color, than the name of each file.  _ That’s unpractical.  _ The computer screen was thoroughly covered with post-it notes, one by one, all in the same warm yellow colour. All of them filled with that same messy handwriting perpetuated with black ink.  _ Whoever works here doesn’t make big use of the technology.  _ On the small cork board Jooheon noticed a few postcards, one with hand-painted whale floating in the sky; some pins forming a smiley face, a note that said something along the lines of “good job Minhyuk! :)” written in different, even harder to decipher, handwriting.  _ Is the owner of the desk called Minhyuk?  _ Another thing that didn’t escape black haired man’s notice was the stress ball somewhere next to the trash bin filled with papers of different colours and sizes. And coffee cups. Jooheon squinted his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. It was the only empty desk in this department today - so it was quite interesting.

_ Is it any of your business?  _ He just shook his head and looked around while he was walking away from the desk. Jooheon turned his eyes to the glass door and a light, delicate smile caught on his lips, when he saw the rain droplets racing on its surface. It always both fascinated and attracted him - maybe because it was melancholy, or maybe just because he himself was a helpless melancholic. 

Stepping out of the building, he didn’t open the umbrella - having pulled the hood over his head, he put the earbuds in and closed his eyes for a while. It was so weird - even though he had been there already a few times - it was still not the same as living there. A new chapter in his life was starting today, a chance to bring pride to his family. Feeling warm droplets on his hands and cheeks, Jooheon slowly made his way to the bus stop, lightly bopping his head to the music. 

Seoul was really crowded at this hour - which surprised him; weren’t people supposed to be working for a few more hours? Nonetheless, when he spotted an empty seat under the bus stop’s canopy, he immediately sat on it, letting his thoughts just flow. Grey people with grey faces and grey eyes were passing by him, invested in their own matters - those personal, and those a little bit less personal. Small, miserable, soaked in the rain that was cleansing the surface of Earth today. He took a deep breath, looking at the screen of his phone to check the time.  _ Three PM. And Hoseok texted you.  _

** _Hojjang, 15 minutes ago_ **

_ hey when will u finish upaxcking _

_ unpacking _

_ I wanted to show you the city :( _

Jooheon smiled to himself. Hoseok was his current flatmate and internet best friend since 2012. Well, not always best friend, but the more hardships they overcame, the closer they grew together. And when Jooheon - a fledgling policeman - finally decided to move out to Seoul, Hoseok greeted him with open arms and a spare room.  _ “If you pay the rent, of course. There’s nothing for free.”  _ He shook his head at the memory, and responded, while entering the bus:

** _Joo, few seconds ago_ **

_ Oh right _

_ Sorry I had to check out the range _

_ you know me right _

_ and i visited you many times here _

_ come on _

After taking another empty seat, he added, raising his eyebrow suspiciously:

_ Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now? _

He looked through the window to see the station one more time before the bus left the stop, and all of the images behind the glass became blurry. It was a pleasurable feeling - to be in a crowded place and yet, have that invisible shield of music that successfully cut him away from all of the problems surrounding him.

** _Hojjang, few seconds ago_ **

_ no _

_ why lol _

_ well yes but _

_ technically no _

** _Joo, few seconds ago_ **

_ sure, right _

_ cook something for me, k? _

_ i’m starving _

** _Hojjang, few seconds ago_ **

_ something lol _

_ as if you didn’t know  _

_ that i can’t cook a lot of things _

_ kbrbcatisdevouringmypaycheck _

Jooheon couldn’t help but smile at the same moment - there was something both endearing and amusing when it comes to Hoseok. His flatmate seemed to have his head usually troubled by any thought that isn’t related to his job or his responsibilities. That didn’t mean, of course, that he was bad at it - no. There was no other man in the world Jooheon knew that could intimidate you by a handshake or just a simple pat on the back. Hoseok usually didn’t act aggressively or rudely - even when he had to. But he quickly changed his attitude from that bubbly mess he was most of the time, to a man that you wouldn’t want to meet in the middle of the night on an empty road - of course, when a situation required such an attitude. Usually his duties as a bodyguard were limited to helping lost kids find their parents or stopping shoplifters when they were getting too cocky and thought that nobody saw how they snatched that shirt from the mannequin. There were very few situations where he actually had to use force; it was an advantage, especially for Hoseok himself, who always stated that - violence is the absolute extremity. He had everything that a good VIP bodyguard needed to have - and yet, he was still working in the shopping mall, for a price that wasn’t that big - but at least he wasn’t busy all the time. And when he was free he could listen to Jooheon’s rambling, or just his thoughts; occasionally rate his never-published poems and make all those lame and unfunny jokes that always made Joo laugh.  _ He’s like a brother.  _

Something stirred confusion and sensation between the passengers of the bus. He couldn’t hear anything - the flurry and whispers, the police and carriage’s siren. He could only see people looking through the windows on the left side of the bus, leaning from their seats and covering their mouths.  _ What’s happening…  _ But at that point, after turning his head, he regretted what he saw almost immediately. Pulling out the earphones quickly, he wanted to draw his eyes away as quick as it was possible, but he couldn’t. 

The sight itself wasn’t that disturbing, but it was the scenery that made it more obscure. People gathered around something that looked suspiciously like a pile of clothing on top of a lump of garbage.  _ But you know what it is.  _ A big bulge in his throat felt so heavy that he almost threw up. The whole world went silent.  _ Why? Isn’t it second suicide this week? _

There was nothing familiar in this view - he had never witnessed someone committing a suicide, nor he or his close ones had any self-destructive thoughts; and yet, it hit oddly close to home, at the same time being the first-impact shock it deserved to be. He could only lean back more because the red light has ended, and the bus had already started driving off, but when he finally broke that trance he got himself in, he covered his eyes and took a deep breath.  _ People like to seek fake hope - that’s why the two carriages were there. But what was the reason to jump? _

Jooheon mopped his face, and when the bus finally arrived at his stop, he got up - with the will to exit it, he walked forward. And from then on, everything happened so fast that he couldn’t keep track of the events. He felt cold glasses hitting his forehead and almond eyes looking at him with cold apathy. On a daily basis, bumping into a stranger wouldn’t make him feel uncomfortable - but now it felt so weird, still having the scene in front of his eyes. He looked at that pale meagre face, whose owner tried to hide so desperately under the scarf. 

“Are you alright?” Jooheon decided to break the silence and crooked his head as he noticed that the other man avoided eye contact. But he didn’t try to be pushy or cause unnecessary confusion. “Oh, I think you dropped this.” He bowed down to grab a phone with a post-it note on its back and handed it back to its owner. The other man, with blonde strands of hair sticking from under his hoodie, grabbed it quickly and - having turned on his heel, almost marched away. Jooheon raised his eyebrows and sighed deeply.  _ This whole day is just… Different.  _ Having checked if that strange encounter didn’t cost him a wallet, he immediately went to the grey block of flats. Not caring about the lift, he skipped on the stairs just to hurl himself into the door with the glorious number “10”. 

** _Hojjang, five minutes ago_ **

_ okay Bom is safe and so are my papers _

_ ok on my way to cook you sumn _

_ you won’t guess what it is heh ;) _

_ take a guess Honey  _

** _Hojjang, three minutes ago_ **

_ okay, no guesses? _

_ come on _

** _Hojjang, few seconds ago_ **

_ HODSL SOME LUNATIC  _

_ JUST HAMMEDRERD MY DORO WTF _

** _Joo, few seconds ago_ **

_ it’s me, please open _

_ or i’ll catch a cold _

_ and you don’t want to babysit me _

_ or do you _

Hoseok opened the door and seeing his friend’s pale and exhausted face, he just shook his head and invited him inside with movement of his hand.

“You know that I’m ea’thily… Easily scared, right? Don’t do that. I wouldn’t do that to you.” Hoseok frowned slightly and scrunched his nose. Jooheon smiled brightly, feeling as that unpleasant emotion from before slowly passed. Brushing his thick black hair back, he answered quickly:

“I had to capture your attention somehow, right? Besides, you know that I’m a chicken shit too, you can take advantage of that.” Shrugging his shoulders and throwing his boots somewhere in the corner, he looked at Hoseok, exposing his dimples with that honest smile of his.

“Well, that’s not what friends do.” His friend rolled his eyes and went to the kitchen, putting two bowls onto the table. “At lea’tht that’s what my mom told me.”

“Says a stable twenty seven year old bodyguard babying two cats, huh?” Jooheon answered, raising one of his eyebrows up and sitting down in front of his friend, while inhaling the thrilling and mouth-watering smell of the ramyun he made for him. If Hoseok wasn’t offended at that moment, that only meant he was a really good actor.

“Huh? I’m not stable yet, I’m single.” 

“One doesn’t exclude the other.”

A pair of big black eyes looked at him for a while, until he heard that characteristic snort and Hoseok got fully consumed by devouring noodles.  _ Already feels better. But..  _ That scene still replayed in his head over and over, filling him with that weird discomfort and fear.  _ Why do you even care? You know nobody in there, except from Hojjang. Why would you bother about a random citizen? People die everyday.  _ And yet, there was something unsettling about today passage of events. 

Once again, almond eyes flashed in front of his own.  _ There’s a lot of psychos in this world. But fortunately you only have to care about those who act on it.  _

“Did you cut your finger or something?” Hoseok suddenly asked after he raised his head. This question immediately swayed Jooheon from all of these intrusive thoughts and made him focus on his friend, who was looking at him with sparkle of curiosity in his eyes.

“No, why?” The black haired man observed at his fingers; they all were completely fine, in tact, none of them was cut, not even slightly damaged. He looked up again just to see Hoseok chewing the meat and pointing at his hoodie with chopsticks.

And there was, in fact, something. A few average sized blood stains covered the grey fabric in his chest area.  _ What?  _ He blinked a few times, grossed out, but surprised at the same time. 

“So it was an accident at work, or something? You know?”

“What? No, of course not, it’s…” Jooheon parted his lips slightly, touching the stains. They were still a little bit moisty, leaving reddish imprints on his fingertips. “I don’t know what it is.”

_ Scared almond eyes. He was covering his face.  _ Jooheon’s face lost a few of its colours as he turned his head to the window and pursed his lips. It all kind of made sense now, but at the same time it was obscurely unreal and baseless. But he remembered that one thing vividly. _ The bus stop man. _

“Hello? So, any explanation?” Hoseok chuckled slightly, to which Jooheon reacted with a nervous and kind of unsure shake of his head. “Don’t give me a reason to worry, alright?”

“No, no, it’s okay. I guess…” Jooheon closed his eyes. “It’s probably from one of my nosebleeds. Nothing to worry about.”

“I hope so.” Hoseok wanted to say something else but decided it wasn’t the best approach. Jooheon finished his meal and looked into the empty bowl.

_ I need to find him.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♫This intercom is broken into pieces  
I gotta call my QB Blitz, B Blitz♫


	3. What makes a good man?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know. They call it tragic for a reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I was so excited to write this one (although I don't know if the result fulfils my expectations). But writing it gave me so much fun (of course I cried, because I am one big emotional mess). Finally a confrontation - or maybe two? And the plot thickens.  
I'd like to thank my lovely girlfriend @lsians_x for beta-editing this (as well as previous) chapter. She's a great help for me, and also one of the best writers I know.

The amount of “good mornings” that he received today was highly suspicious - but maybe that was just because he was absent from work for quite some time. Maybe people already forgot his face - that wouldn’t be surprising. Minhyuk’s stomach felt heavy - even though the only thing he ate today was a stale slice of bread with butter. Today felt almost as if he didn’t wake up - so did the rest of the past week. Everything was like a really bad nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from, no matter how hard he tried. His head was filled with static and dreamy eyes focused on something that didn’t even exist, and never had the right to exist in the first place. Thoughts were trying to pierce through the cloud in his brain, stop him from drifting away from reality. Like roses lying under his feet, and yet the only thing he felt on the full capacity - was that familiar pain in his chest.  _ Scared.  _

Rubbing his palms against each other, he sat down by his desk, after signing the papers in the outer office. With his long fingers mopping his face, Minhyuk started his first day at work after that one week long break - and it didn’t feel pleasant at all.  _ Breathe.  _ His chest was moving slowly as he tried to calm himself down and process everything, without hurry. This time too - as usual - there was a cup full of fresh hot coffee standing in front of him, with a small note on it: “Glad to see you back, Min :)” in his best friend’s handwriting. It was slightly smudged but that didn’t matter. He took a sip, maybe two, just to feel that burning and pleasurable feeling in his mouth.  _ Just like the coffee he used to make for you every morning but this one tastes differently. _

“Minhyuk, dear god, I am so happy to see you today.” The warm voice that he used to listen to whenever work overwhelmed him appeared out of nowhere. He raised his head, just to see two almond shaped eyes and that soft shag, accompanied by his friend’s smile. He just turned his head away and sipped more coffee.

“Hi Hyunwoo.” Those were the only words that came out from his mouth as he cleared his throat, trying to get rid of that weird lump inside. He could feel a soft pat on his arm, he allowed that. But only that. 

“Are you sure it’s right for you to get back to work?” The taller man asked in a quiet, soft tone, not to rush Minhyuk nor make him distressed. The detective blinked slowly.  _ Are you?  _ “You went through a lot, I am just wor-”

“I’ll be fine Nunu,” he said quietly, hunching even more and sniffing. “Thank you for your concern.” Those dark eyes raised their absent gaze on the other man and that small, pained but still prominent smile appeared on Minhyuk’s face. Hyunwoo looked at his best friend with visible worry in his eyes. He tried to smile painfully but he couldn’t force it onto himself, as recent events drained him from all of the energy. And yet, he needed to have some of it preserved in case Minhyuk had a meltdown. But the other man seemed, in all odds, weirdly peaceful.  _ He’s in denial. That’s why it happens.  _

“Sure.. You know, I’ll be down there, if you need me. Or just… Need anything in general.” he said and sighed, stroking Minhyuk’s arm in reassurance. “If you want to go home, nobody is going to stop you. We all…”

“I. DON’T. WANT. TO GO. HOME!” 

Hearing that scream, Jooheon raised his head up from the papers he was signing.  _ What the fuck is going on.  _ It came from another room so he couldn’t see the source of that outburst. Nonetheless, it was quite unnerving - nobody else seemed bothered by it though. Even secretary Woo just shrugged her shoulders. When her eyes locked with Jooheon’s ones, she just smiled politely and shook her head.

“Don’t bother too much,” she advised him as she took a pen from him. The black haired man frowned slightly, not understanding even a single bit of the situation - but he probably shouldn’t ask about it.  _ It might come off as nosy or unprofessional, and I don’t want that.  _ Nodding to officer Kang, who seemed pretty grim that day, he sat down by his desk and after brushing his hair back - he finally turned on his computer. But then, he had heard another scream.

“JUST LET ME GO, WHY CAN’T YOU LET ME GO! I AM FINE!” The voice was weak but at the same time obnoxiously loud and whiny. It was breaking - as if the owner of it was facing a distress.  _ Maybe someone was arrested?  _ He checked the files from his desk and glouted again - no arrests took place today, nor yesterday. So maybe it was a witness?  _ Probably yes…  _ He wanted to get back to checking the documentation on his personal computer when his eyes glimpsed over a familiar silhouette, hay-textured blonde hair with dark roots and scared almond eyes…

_ The bus stop man. So he was the witness of that suicide… Or maybe he was the reason of that suicide.  _ Jooheon immediately recalled blood stains on his own clothes.  _ He has to… _

“Hey, you!” He got up, capturing the attention of the other employees who looked at him in slight shock. The man he met two days ago hadn’t said anything, his eyes locked on the wall and his lips trembling slightly. “Don’t move. Officer, I know this man, he might know something about that incident from two days ago, he… He left blood stains on my clothes. And it was close to the place of occurrence…”

But he didn’t get a nod of approval or a good word, he didn’t even get a reaction he expected. Instead, officer Kang gave him a tired look as he flipped the page of the newspaper.

“Oh, I have no doubt that you know this man. It would be weird not to recall your colleagues.” The elder man hung his irritated gaze of Jooheon, who felt as if his ears were about to burn in that very moment.  _ So this guy works here? He looks…  _ Well, he wasn’t the first person to judge another human being by their appearance.

But that man didn’t look like someone who had any ties to police whatsoever. His ruffled, bleached hair seemed purposely messy, and his tired eyes were now staring at Jooheon mercilessly, as if their owner wanted to drill a hole in his head. Those almond eyes that appeared so frightened just two days ago. His chapped, rosy lips that he tried to moisturize by licking them over and over - maybe because of the nervous twitch, or his own whim. His hands covered in bandages were continuously pulling the t-shirt he wore, as he nibbled its edges with his long fingernails.  _ Did he hurt his hands? Maybe that’s where all of the blood stains came from?  _

“Colleague… I…” Jooheon cleared his throat and locked his eyes with the other man, who hadn’t moved an inch. Licking over his lips, he made a step forward, not lowering his eyesight. “I’m sorry, there was a misunderstanding. Lee Jooheon, I am…”

“New. I know.” Minhyuk pursed his lips as he saw the other man reaching forward. He shook his hand quickly just to tick the formalities off. “Lee Minhyuk. Glad we settled that. Now…” He looked around to see his co-workers get back to their usual business.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Minhyuk seemed distracted, even though nothing bad was happening. His eyes wandered away instantly when he saw a tall figure nodding to him. Without any further explanation, he walked away with his duck-like big steps. Jooheon took a deep breath and frowned slightly.  _ So he actually works there? Interesting. Maybe… _

“The audacity to say such things… Unbelievable. And here I thought I would just smoothly introduce you to your new partner at work.” Officer Kang seemed disappointed, which confused Jooheon even more.  _ Partner? But I don’t need a partner. _

“A partner? I think that we weren’t talking about a partner for me before… I thought my job doesn’t require a partner, officer.”

“It doesn’t but since you’re new around here, you’ll need a solid guidance and…” The elder man looked at a lamp above him, sighing quietly. When he turned his eyes back on Jooheon, his face seemed more friendly than before, all of those hostile wrinkles disappearing. “I wanted to pair you guys because you two are young and seem really talented at your job.”

“Job? What’s his job? He doesn’t look like an officer or a supervisor… Yesterday I mistook him for a murderer or a victim of an assault. He looked so out of place…” Jooheon chuckled nervously but seeing no approval on the older man’s face, he got quiet in a matter of a second. 

“He’s a detective, Jooheon-ssi. A hell of a detective, if I have to give my opinion on it.” Saying this, officer Kang closed his eyes and opened the pack of cigarettes. “And about that… Everybody has their odds, right? I am sure you do too. He’s extraordinary, once you get to know him. Trust me,” he mumbled, putting cigarette between his teeth and letting it off with a spark of his personalized lighter. “There is no other person in Seoul like him. Damn, if I am honest; there’s probably no detective like that in the whole country.”

_ So he’s a detective?  _ It didn’t want to click inside Jooheon’s head - as something about that individual successfully put him off. Maybe it was his weird posture; maybe the eyes that seemed dead since the first time he witnessed their off spark. 

“Oh, I… Understand. But I still don’t get it, I think I can manage perfectly on my own,” he reassured the elder man, but to no avail. Officer Kang shook his head and released a cloud of smoke out of his mouth. “I mean that's what I think."

"Glad you clarified that. I'm sure that you saw the recent files, huh?" Seeing an unsure nod as an answer, the elder man clicked something, just for the documentation to appear on the screen. "See, this is something that you're going to take care of but it's impossible to wrap your head around it. I saw your exam results and all of the documentation that proves your worth, but… You see, Jooheon-ssi."

He put his old hand on Jooheon's arm, sighing quietly.

"Being a good cop doesn't make you a great detective. And from what I witnessed today you seem to be really stuck up. I saw how much pride brought you the fact that you just accused someone of something just because you thought they acted dodgy." These words hit Jooheon like a truck.  _ You old prick.  _ He raised one of his eyebrows, still trying to remain peaceful. Officer Kang inhaled the smoke from his cigarette. "That's why you need a logical counterweight, that is Lee Minhyuk. He’s been working here longer, and he knows the rules around better than you so you can treat him like an officer."

"But he's not one, is he?" Jooheon crossed arms on his chest, just to hear that resigned sigh. Jinhwan Kang looked at him with an expression that pictured pure boredom and exhaustion.

"No he's not. Neither are you so I'd really appreciate it if you didn't look down on any of your colleagues. You may move your things over that desk, next to Minhyuk's one." He pointed at it with finger. "Any questions?"

At first, Jooheon felt all of these emotions boiling inside of him, wanting to escape his body - through his mouth, obviously. But he had to stay calm no matter what - even if this situation was unusual, to say the least. His eyes wandered through the other man’s face, trying to find some signs saying that it was only a joke - but the only thing he saw was that intractable expression.

“No, I’m afraid.” Jooheon answered slowly through gritted teeth, and then - not to offend the elder man, he bowed and marched back to his desk, putting all of his possessions into his private leather briefcase.

_ So you were transferred all the way here, just to be paired up with…  _ His head was filled with intrusive thoughts that didn’t want to go away. Slowly, he collected all of his papers he thoroughly segregated yesterday, and took his ID from the upper shelf. Having approached the desk next to that one he examined two days ago, he let out a loud sigh -  _ why you, though? If he’s such a “great detective”, why doesn’t he work on his own?  _ All this time he thought that moving here would make his career soar - but apparently not. Well, maybe he was a little bit delusional but… When he locked his eyes with Minhyuk he sighed quietly, pursing his lips and sitting down next to the detective.

_ Should you apologize?  _ A quick thought ran through his mind, making him slightly uncomfortable. Acting as if he claimed this place as his way before, Jooheon unpacked all of his stuff, with eyes fully focused on his own reflection in the computer screen. With peripherals, he noticed that the other man was staring blankly at the file he held in both of his hands.  _ It’s none of your business.  _ Blinking a few times to refresh his mind, Jooheon leaned back.

“So you’re from Daegu. That’s far away from here.” That quiet, shaky voice almost made him jump. His eyes fully focused on the other man, or rather on his unnerving facial expression - emotionless but at the same time presenting a slight smile. “Also, you really wanted to go there? Seoul stinks and gets boring after a while, you know… It’s also a really depressing place. Rains a lot. At least now… Hey, isn’t your birthday soon? October 6th?” Blonde man laid his head on the desk and focused his gaze on Jooheon - who was more than confused, at least that's what his face was showing. Minhyuk’s eyebrows immediately lowered and he bit his lip nervously. “Did I insult you, or something? What’s that face?” He chuckled as his eyes smiled along with his mouth.

“Uh, what? No. Not at all it’s just…”

“You don’t celebrate your birthday though. Or nobody just remembers. Well, now I do.” Minhyuk straightened up immediately and cracked his knuckles, which made Jooheon cringe a little bit. The blonde haired detective sighed quietly as something else caught his attention because his eyes wandered away from the policeman.

“Isn’t this kind of information private?” Black haired man asked coldly while turning on his computer.  _ That was unnecessarily creepy.  _ To his surprise, the response came quicker than he expected - but no eye contact was registered.

“Nothing’s private here. Especially for me.” A small voice crack could be heard but that didn’t discourage Minhyuk from talking. Counterwise - even though his tired eyes were fixated on the spider that was courageously crawling through the hall on his remaining legs, the detective’s lips were continuously moving as he was talking. “I know a lot. I don’t know if I can trust you that much yet, you’re a new around so there’s probably nothing in it for me. But the others wanted to know something more about you so I told them.” He smiled absently after taking a sip from the cup that Jooheon at first took as an element of decoration.

“What did you tell them exactly?” Jooheon squinted his sharp eyes, his lips forming a line - but this time it was rather a sign of slight irritation. “And why is that? You don’t even know me, why would you babble around and spill my record to everyone you meet?”

“Well, I wanted to say something to sound a little bit more sinister, than just “I was bored” so I came up with a story!” Minhyuk slapped his hands on the desk’s surface, which - again - made Jooheon almost snuff it. 

“Jesus fucking…” To the policeman’s surprise - nobody else reacted like that; the routine on the station stayed the same. Nobody even turned their head around to see what’s going on.  _ Surely they had to get used to this headassery. Holy fuck. _

“So the story writes as the following: that’s what you get from touching my desk. I can read minds, so that’s how I knew. And how I got to know all of the things about you.” Minhyuk said proudly, stuffing the empty cup into the trash can (almost full, but still managing to find that tiny extra space for another load). “How do you like it?”

Jooheon looked at the other man with conflicted emotions showing on his face, one by one.  _ What the fuck is this all about.  _ But not wanting to make a bad first impression, he just smiled politely although less polite words were almost trying to escape his mouth. 

“Oh, yeah… Um, sure. But since it’s not true… I’ll just assume that you’ve seen my documentation.” 

“But can’t we pretend it’s true?” Minhyuk’s voice rang in the air, a little bit less confident than a second before. Jooheon frowned and shook his head.  _ Maybe if you don’t talk to him, he won’t start another topic. Let’s see... _

“No.” The black haired man opened the case file again, with the intention to study it in peace. 

Minhyuk sighed with resignation but at the same time he couldn’t take his eyes off the other man - but that wasn’t because of his appearance. Well, maybe not in such an obvious kind of way. With all of his willpower, he tried to remember every feature and every detail of his new colleague’s face.  _ You’ll get along - he is nice. And smart.  _ Finally, he turned his head away, just to see a message flashing on his phone screen.

** _Nunu, 5 minutes ago_ **

_ Hey, I’m sorry for that. _

_ You know that I don’t wish you anything bad, Minhyuk. _

_ I am just worried, as friends usually are. _

_ When things go _

_ Well _

_ Wrong _

** _Lee Minhyuk, few seconds ago_ **

_ yeah yeah i dont need essays _

_ its fine nunuuuu okay im fine _

_ when i say im fine im fine _

_ new guy works with me _

** _Nunu, few seconds ago_ **

_ You say that as if you didn’t know that yesterday. _

_ Is that okay with you? _

_ I mean, working with someone _

  
  


** _Lee Minhyuk, few seconds ago_ **

_ well i knew but _

_ i dont know, he seems nice _

_ well make a movie duet _

_ but serious movie duet you get me _

_ not cliche and actually accurate _

** _Nunu, few seconds ago_ **

_ Let’s say I understand. _

_ Now get back to work, alright? _

_ Should I drive you home today too? _

_ I can’t let you get hit by a car. _

_ Again. _

** _Lee Minhyuk, few seconds ago_ **

_ yeah yeah sure  _

_ we can also pick up food _

_ youre like my  _

_ persona chaaffur _

_ chauffaur _

_ chafeur? _

** _Nunu, few seconds ago_ **

_ Take your time _

** _Lee Minhyuk, few seconds ago_ **

_ chauffeur _

_ yes _

** _Nunu, few seconds ago_ **

_ So we’re set up.  _

_ Note it down somewhere, so you won’t forget about it. _

** _Lee Minhyuk, few seconds ago_ **

_ i wont i promise _

_ really _

_ not on my blood but i do _

Minhyuk smiled to himself a little bit while rereading the whole conversation, just in case he missed something. But everything was still the same so he sighed quietly, just to hear Jooheon’s voice:

“You haven’t seen that suicide, right?” These words made him freeze for a few seconds. “I haven’t been there myself too, saw it from the bus window… But it was awful.”

But Minhyuk seemed to be in distress as his lips trembled a little bit. The only thing that the blonde haired man could hear was the sound of blood rushing through his arteries; his eyelids closing heavily, himself swallowing the saliva amassing in his mouth. But in a short moment, his eyes went back to their previous sober state as they locked on Jooheon’s face. 

“Huh? What?”

The black haired policeman squinted his eyes again but then he just shook his head.  _ What’s going on with this guy. Maybe he’s drunk? You shouldn’t throw another baseless accusation… Or maybe drugged?  _

“I was just talking about the incident from two days ago. Someone jumped from the skyscraper…” An unpleasant shiver ran through the policeman’s body as he recalled the sight of that lump of meat just laying in the centre of attention. He swallowed nervously. “I thought that… I know, that might’ve been stupid and all but really, I thought you have had something to do with this. That’s why I jumped with all of the conclusions… You stained my clothes, by the way. You are aware of that?”

“I didn’t have anything to stain them with, how could I do it?” Minhyuk blinked heavily as he turned his eyes up on the other man.

“Blood. It was blood. It scared me, but I also… I was also suspicious. You don’t encounter a bleeding stranger every day, you know.”

“Well, in fact…” Minhyuk cleared his throat, to which Jooheon raised his eyebrow - but also listened curiously. The blonde haired man reposed his glasses as with a scientific facial expression, he exclaimed: “Almost half of the strangers you meet everyday might bleed if they are women because as you know, women get periods, therefore they bleed…”

Jooheon could hear someone chuckling in the corner of the room; someone else was whispering something, trying to stop themselves from laughing - the secretary only smiled pityingly. 

_ Oh, he’s gifted, definitely. Sherlock of the twenty first century. _

“Anyways… Why were you bleeding?” Jooheon tried to remain calm, although he already felt that weird and uncomfortable itching in his guts. Itching that was telling him that not everything was fine with his colleague and maybe - just maybe - he should leave that topic and never bring it up again. 

“I got hit by a car.” That answer made Jooheon open his mouth slightly wider - he didn’t know what the feeling was that sat heavy in his chest at that moment. Was it a shock or a slight panic? He couldn’t tell. 

“Alright but… Why aren’t you in the hospital then? And the driver… Did he call the police, or ambulance, or…”

“No. I just said “sorry” and moved on. Why would he call the police… And why should I go to the hospital if I am okay?” Minhyuk frowned slightly, crooking his head funnily. His eyes - contrary to a moment before - were filled with millions of emotions, chaotically spread far and wide. They were shining with curiosity but at the same time there was something to them, some weird spark that Jooheon couldn’t decipher. “I just got a few minor scratches.”

“Wow, alright then…” Jooheon turned his eyes and pursed his lips.  _ Maybe this will bring something out of him.  _ “He ran over you while you were crossing the street?”

“Yeah.” The blonde detective nodded as he flipped the page in the file, scrunching his nose in a very amusing way. It looked pretty innocent, especially for somebody who just admitted that they got ran over by a car. “I just spaced out a little bit and then… Boom? That’s how it went.”

“Wait, so it was your fault?”

“I dunno,” Minhyuk muttered and crooked his head again, this time in the other direction, following the writing with his eyes and trying to make sense out of it. Jooheon looked at his co-worker, trying to make sense out of everything he heard.  _ He’s clearly not sober. But you can’t smell alcohol. So it has to be drugs.  _ The black haired man eyed officer Kang up but hadn’t said anything.

“Right. You don’t know…”

“We were assigned to this case about suicides, you know, Jooheon? Joo, Joo? Joo, Joo… Jooheon… Heon.. Heon...Ey? Honey? Honey. Can I call you Honey?” Minhyuk smiled brightly while holding the file close to himself. His freshly met partner just looked at him with flak visible on his face, then whipped the folder from his hands. 

“No.”

*******

** _Joo, 2 minutes ago_ **

_ When you come back from work _

_ pls let’s talk _

** _Hojjang, few seconds ago_ **

_ sure _

_ u can count on it _

Hoseok could almost swear on his mother (or maybe just his cat, his mom was too precious) that this job was almost made for him - and vice versa. Well, there were other bodyguards in here, sure - but all of them seemed so serious all the time.  _ It’s a shopping mall, not a national bank. You don’t get all the fuss they make.  _ Besides, such late hours were always the time when they could relax - people were mostly coming inside to grab something to eat after a full day of work, or to watch a movie. 

So without any worry on his mind, brushing his bleached hair back, Hoseok sipped his frappe, judging people from the corner of the corridor. 

The first couple he saw was awkwardly asking locals about toilet, clearly being out of place, with their jerky and drunk expression and faces grimaced in amused smiles. He sipped some more of the tasty beverage through the straw.  _ A good match. _

A group of elderly people came out of one restaurant, with a tall young woman leading them and talking to them in a foreign language. All of them seemed content, as the bodyguard could tell by their facial expressions; all of them were wearing similar red caps.  _ I wish I was this entertained when I’ll be so close to death.  _

Some children were running around while their parents tried to collect both them and their plushies. Hoseok felt that nice tickling in his chest when he saw how carelessly the children played with each other, chasing themselves around on the black tiles. But he raised his eyes surprised and immediately put his hand on the gun when something bumped into his calf. But then he heard crying; as soon as he turned his head, he noticed two black braids and big eyes looking at him from behind thick glasses.

“Hello there!” He said enthusiastically, squatting next to the child who was as confused as it was scared. The girl blinked nervously and pouted when she saw a strange face so close to her. “Hey, hey, what happened?”

No response.

“Don’t cry hey… Are you lost?” He asked quietly, gently pulling a tissue out of his chest pocket and wiping girl’s nose and eyes. On the other hand, it was the question that caught her attention. She was probably about three to four years old - no more, no less. Hoseok could see a hesitant nod.

“I see. Do you know where your parents might be? Or where did you see them last time?” His voice was calm, as well as his facial expression, reassuring.  _ If she panics you won’t get anything out of her, and crying children aren’t your specialty.  _ “Hey, I know that daddy probably told you not to talk with ‘thtranger’th, but I am here to help you.”

“I ‘thaw them in the cinema,” the girl said quietly and wiped her eyes with fists. Hoseok sighed and smiled slightly.

“Alright, ‘tho… I have a plan. We will become friends who go on an amazing adventure to find your parent’th. But to do that I need to know your name. Or your code name. See, my name is Hoseok, but you can call me Wonho,” he said and got up, holding her hand tightly. A small smile appeared in the corner of his eyes when he felt that the girl squeezed his palm.

“Jihyo.”

“So the name. Let’th go then. I’ll protect you from all the monsters and we will find your parents! What do you say?”

He turned his head slightly down, just to see her round face - not crying anymore but smiling brightly, showing her pearly teeth.

“Yes! Wonho and Jihyo.”

“Exactly.” He exclaimed happily, moving forward. “Do you maybe remember which cham…”

And then everything stopped. 

As soon as Hoseok heard a loud shot, he grabbed the girl and pulled her close to him.  _ Hall number four.  _ The child held him tightly, pressing her face against his chest. He could already hear the screams of panic coming out of that room; the chaotic beat of shoes was messing with his head as he saw people looking around on the corridors, confused and scared. He felt wet drops on his skin so he just caressed Jihyo’s back with reassurance - even though his head was filled with chaos and panic. As soon as he saw the door opening, he grabbed the girl and lifted her up - not to let the crowd trample over her.

“H-hey, it’th okay, it’th going to be okay… Please don’t panic!” He shouted but that didn’t do much as he was pushed and pulled by the people trying to escape the screening room. “Everything is under control..!” He tried to calm people down but to no avail. He looked around but nobody seemed to be interested in that little girl in his arms.

“It’th okay Jihyo, I…” He looked around just to see a tall figure calming people down and guiding them to the safe space. His eyes locked with a pair of other, dark ones, a little bit uneven. Their owner had his black hair nicely parted on the left side, and his dry dark lips were muttering reassuring formulas - and they seemed to work.

Pushing forward, Hoseok grabbed that man by his arm.

“I’m ‘thorry, you need to hold her, there’s no time,” he said and reached to the stranger with a child. “Take care of her, I need to find her parents.”

“Sure, I’ll take her to the food court with others. Be careful, sir.”

“I’ll try to. They might be hiding in the room, just..” Hoseok shook his head. The man whose skin was reminiscent of caramel nodded to him reassuringly. 

“I’ll be waiting there and I’ll try to calm others down.”

But Hoseok didn’t hear the last part as - trying to pass the crowd, going upstream, grabbing his pistol and entering the room - he followed two other bodyguards. He saw someone calling the police already so he swallowed, fully stressed and distracted by that metallic scent he knew so well…

_ Oh my god. _

He saw a few members of the personnel helping other people escape the room but most importantly, he saw the screen covered in thick red liquid that seemed black because of the lighting. And he saw the body.  _ Holy fuck.  _

“Who brought a gun here?” He immediately asked his colleague but Gunhee looked at him as if he appeared out of nowhere.

“What the fuck do you mean by: who?”

“I am ‘therious, is this the only person that… Is anybody else injured? We need to check…” Hoseok swallowed nervously and looked around, even bending down - to see if nobody fainted and was lying between the seats.

“Are you pulling a stunt or are you stupid? Dude shot himself.” Gunhee closed his eyes and mopped his face. Hoseok blinked and pursed his lips, remembering what Jooheon had told him. Suddenly, he felt cold sweat slowly covering his back, his face, and his mouth getting unnaturally dry.

“Another suicide,” he mumbled.

“People die. But to ruin a movie seance…” His friend shook his head. “Anyway, the police are on their way. Jooheon will have his hands busy already,” he commented, to which Hoseok reacted with a nervous grunt, as he covered his eyes.

“Jihyo!” A woman shouted as he approached Hyunwoo, her hands shaking and her eyes full of tears. “Oh my god, Jihyo… I was so scared…” She covered her mouth as she looked up at the man that was holding her daughter. The child looked at her with a soft smile, not really understanding the situation. She was sucking on a lollipop that the owner of the candy shop offered her to distract her from the centre of action. “Thank you so much, sir…”

“You should thank the bodyguard.” Hyunwoo put the girl down, smiling at her, then he looked up at the mother with his tired eyes. 

“Where’s daddy, mommy?” The girl asked, looking around. 

The woman covered her mouth, to which Hyunwoo raised his eyebrow. He saw how her face gradually changed expressions - from relieved, to again - terrified and distressed. She held her daughter tight, sobbing quietly into her arm.

“Mommy?”

“We have to go home, h-honey,” the woman said, putting the scarf on the child’s neck. The black haired man released Jihyo’s hand as he turned his gaze to the opened door of the screening room.  _ Dad won’t come back home today. You doubt he will ever come back.  _

As soon as Hyunwoo noticed the police crew and familiar blonde shag with dark roots, he sighed quietly. Bowing to the woman, who was holding her daughter tightly, he stepped out of the crowd and put black gloves on. He gave Minhyuk a supportive look but his friend seemed already focused and stressed - he also noticed a new figure next to him; sharp tiger eyes that made him feel uncomfortable, and that chiseled profile, cold, without many emotions on it. 

On the way inside, he locked his eyes once more with the bodyguard, who parted his lips slightly. 

_ You know. They call it tragic for a reason. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♫Now I entitle swim for blood and birth  
I entitle swim for what it's worth  
Cause lines get drawn and lines get kicked and blurred  
Indelible is what I need to spread the word♫


End file.
